Method of and apparatus for making fibrous articles



Jan. 25 1927.

J. s. LITTLE METHOD 0F' AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FIBROUS ARTICLES Filed Maron 2e. 1923 mm A N @NN @NNN .wMN

Ill

lime/z or JoimLlZe Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STA-TES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SHIRLEY LITTLE, OF LA GRANGE. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FIBROUS ARTICLES.

Application iqled March 26, 1923. Serial No. 627,712.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for making fibrous articles, and more particularly to a method ot' and apparatus for coating cores.

An object of the invention is to produce a core having a coating of pulp thereon which is attachedj to the core solely by an intermingling of the bers thereof and without the use of any adhesive substance.

Other objects of the invention are to produce a fibrous sheet consisting solely of intermingled pulp fibers and to color or otherwise treat the sheet in the process of its manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to treat pulpous material associated with a core for rendering the resultant core coating distinctive.

Additional objects are to simultaneously treat and to simultaneously apply distinctive indications to a pluralityl of portions of fibrous material simultaneously produced from a common supply of pulpous material.y

Briefly, the method consists Ain depositing wet, pulpous material ona foi'aminous inember giving a distinctivel indication, such as by applying coloring material, to or otherwise treating the pulpous material in sheet form and then removing the moisture from the sheet. In case a core is being coated the treated pulpous material is formed around the core to constitute a homogeneous coating therefor before the moisture is completely removed. W'hen a plurality of sheets or ribbons are bein" produced simultaneously, or a plurality of coresare being coated sin'iultaneously, the sheets, ribbons or coat-ings are selectively or individually treated or colored.

Vv'iien coated cores are employed in massed form as in the case of insulated electrical oonductors formedinto a cable it is often desir-` able to easily distinguishcertain of condue tors. This is frequently accomplished by selectivel coloring the coatings or insulation of tlie conductors to be identified.

When coated cores are woven to produce sheets it is also often desirable to employ d itierently colored coatings to roduce patterns or some desired artistic e ect.

Since it is of advantage to produce simultaneously differently colored sheets, ribbons or coated cores with the same machine or from a common supply of coating material, it is of advantage to color the coating material after it is individually associated with the core.

n I n some cases it may be desirable to apply sizing to or to otherwise individuallytreat pulpous material placed on the cores while the cores are being coated.

The drawings illustrate as an apparatus by which the method'may be practiced the apparatus being especially designed for coating cores in strand form, but it is to be understood that otherv apparatus may be devised for coating cores 1n other forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Y

The word pulp as used in the specification and claims is to be understood as defining and including any cohering fibrous mass whether suspended in a liquid, moist, or substantially dry.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred appartus by which the method may be practice Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view in section, of the cores and the structure for appl ing distinctive identifications to a plura ity of cores. y i

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged views showing the formof the pulp coating on each core as it is delivered from the foraniinous member, the squeezing rolls, and the combined identifying and squeezing rolls respectively, while,

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged views showing the form of the pulp coating on the core during the forming operation and after such Voperation is completed respectively.

The steps ofthe method will be readily understood from a detailed description ofthe apparatus by which `the method may be practiced.

Referring to the drawings in detail in whichlile reference numerals designate s imilar parts throughout the several views of the apparatus,` theigapparatus comprises a drum 10 which is partially submerged in al los - tively.

a centrally disposed tubular axle which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 16 carried by the framework 17 which supports all of the elements of the apparatus.

Pulpous material is strained onto the wire mesh strips 14 as the drum 1() is rotated in the tank by maintaining the level of the mixture within the drum 10 at a lower level than that of the pulp liquid in the tank 11, as indicated by dotted lines A and B respec- This difference in `levels is maintained by a siphon pipe 18 which has its inlet opening submerged in the liquid within the drum and its discharge through the tubular axle 15. A continuous circulation of pulp liquid is maintained in the tank 11 by feeding the pulp liquid froma supply tank (not shown) into the tank 1l by means of a pipe 19 and out of said tank through a ipe 20 into a receiving tank (not shown), rom which it is pumped back into the sup ply tank in any suitable manner. As the drum 10 rotates in the tank 11, due to the.

difference in leyels of the liquid in the drum and the tank, the liquid in the tank w1ll pass through the stripsY of line wire mesh 14 and the associated perforations 13 in the peripheral portion 12 of the drum 10, straining the pulp onto the outer surfaces of the strips.

The cores to be coated, which are illustrated as being four in nuniber, are fed from suitable supply spools 3() over idler rolls 31 into the pulp liquid in the tank 11 and into contact with the pulpous material which has been deposited upon the foraminous strips 14.

Attention is called to the fact that the idler rolls 31 are so spaced from the periphery 12 of the drum 10 that the cores are held out of contact with those sections of the foraminous strips 14 which are near the surface of the liquid in the tank, whereby pulp is strained onto such `sections before the strands or cores are brought into contact therewith. The rst deposit of pulp on the forami- .nous strips is indicated by the letter C, while as the drum revolves in the tank additional amounts of pulpous material will be deposited on the cores and upon the associated foraminous strips, forming a thicker coating indicated b the letter D. The drum 10de/'rotated in t e direction indicated bythe arrow and the pulp on the foraminous strips 14 thereof, together with the associated cores are brought' into contact with a felt covered roll 24. The periphery of this roll has a foraxninous portion formed of fine wire mesh and when the pulp on thee foraminous strips of the drum are brought into conltact therewith, the free liquid7 so to speak in the pulp mixture will be squeezed out pa-rtially through the foraminous strips and partially. .through the felt and the associated foraminous portion of the roll 24. The partially dried pulp Vadheres to the felt in the form of ribbons, with the cores substantially centrally located therein, as shown in Fig. 3, and the cores with the pulp ribbons attached pass around the roll 24 and between it and a second felt covered roll 27. rolls 24 and 27 are carried by suitable brackets 21 supported by the framework 17 the roll 24 being positioned to engage th foraminous strips 14 of thel drum 10 with a slight pressure. forced together by any suitable tension means which is adiustable to exert the proper pressure'between the cores and the puh) ribbons as they pass between the rolls, this pressure serving to mat the pulpous material and secure it to the core to such an extent that as the cores leave the rolls they will carry the pul ribbons with them. From the rolls 24 an 27 each of the cores with its pulp ribbon attached is passed between a pair of comribbons as they pass between the rolls, these U0 rolls alsoserving to remove some moisture from the pulp ribbon and to more firmly mat the fibers of the ribbon and attach it to the core.

Associated with the pairs of treating and squeezing rolls 29 and 30, which are mounted upon brackets 28 supported by the framework 20, are receptacles 44 to 47 inclusive supportedby brackets 50 also attached to the framework 20. Extending from the bot- "f tom of each of the receptacles or tanks 44 to 47 inclusive is a suitable pipe including a hand operated valve and having a spray nozzle or other suitable means through which suitable coloring, sizing or other chemical, which is to be applied to the coating; may be fed. The squid flowing from f each of these tanks is deposited upon thacorf responding roll 29 and as such roll/is'brought into contacti'ith the partially dried pulp 11,0

attached to the associated core, the liquid isl absorbed by the pulpousniaterial and fiows throughout suchwmaterial, the rolls 29 and 30 also/assist in thoroughly distributing such liquid and to removev the surplusthereof. Thusin case a dye is used the entire ribbon 1s uniformly colored.

As it 1s evident fromthe drawing, the

" tanks to 47 inclusive may contain different colors or different chemicals so that the vari- 12o ous ribbons may receive different treatment, although the pulp from which they are formed is taken from a common supply. The construction of the pulp coating as it leaves the rolls 29 and 30 is shown in Fig. 5. 25

From the last mentioned rolls each core with its rlbbon pulp is drawn through a former 34 which wraps the projecting edges vof the ribbon around the core and .around each other, the appearance of the coating The 70 The rolls 24 and 27 are 75 after the. forming after it is first acted on by the former and action is completed being shown clearly in Figs. 6 and 7 respectively. The former causes a thorough intermingling of the pulp fibers and shapes the coating so thatit embraces the core and conforms to the shape thereof. This step of the process forms the coating into a mass so homogeneous that upon cutting the core and the coating, the latter will not fray or ravel and will not become easily detached from the core.

The former indicated by the reference numeral 34 is illustrated as being of the sa'me type as that fully shown and described in a co-pending application of H. G. lVallier. and

A. T. March, Serial No. 547 ,923, filed March 29, 1922. Reference is made to-such application for a full disclosure thereof. .The former comprises essentially two plates, 41 and 42, which wrap the projecting edges of the pulp ribbon around each other and around the core in much the same manner as though the core and pulp ribbon were lolled on a tabletop with the palm of the 25 and.

Each core with its formed coating is drawn from the associated former and subjected to a mechanism for thoroughly drying out the coating. The means shown for performing this step of the process is a pair of wide hollow drums 51 and 52 heated inernally and having a plurality of grooves "not shown) formed thereon, which receive the core, guides (not shown) :being provided for Ydirecting the core over rst one drum and then the other until it has traversed all of the grooves on both drums, after which it is stored on a receiving drum 54. The drums 51 and 52 are revolvably mounted-on suitable bearings carried by vertical standards supported by the framework. The vreceiving drum 54 is also revolvably mounted on bearings supported by the framework, the drums being suitably driven by a suitable beltin system.

Alt rough it has been stated that the primary object of the invention is to apply a coating of pulp to a core without the use of any adhesive substance, the process herein disclosed may be used with a pulp mixture containing a sizing substance, or the pulp may be deposited on a core which has been previously treated with an adhesive agent without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is evident that the dye or other agent may be deposited upon the ribbon in a dry state instead of liquid form, since it will be readily absorbed by the ribbon, due to the slightly molst condition of the ribbon when the agent is applied. j

What is claimed is:

1. A method of coating a core with pulpous material which consists in associatinga core with pulpous material 1n such manner that the material is `held on the core solely by a.l felting of the pulp fibers, subjecting the pulpous material to a chemical to constitute a distinctive indication and then forming the material on the core to constitute a coating having a curved outer surface.

2. A method of coating a core with pulp which consists in depositing pulpous material on a. core in such manner that the material is held on the core solely by a felting of the pulp fibers, coloring the deposited material and then forming the material on the core to constitute a coating conforming with the shape of the core.

3.' A method of coating a core with pulp which consists in associating a core with a felting of the pulp fibers, coloring the material retained on the core and then wrapping the said material around the coreV to constitute a coating therefor having a. substantially circular outer surface.

4. A method of coating a core with pulp which consists in depositing pulpous material in the form of a-ribbon longitudinally of the core held on the core by a felting of the pulp fibers, subjecting the ribbon to a chemical to constitute a distinctive lindica.- tion therefor, and then wrapping the ribbon laterally around the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the sha-pe of the core.

5. A method of coating a core in strand form with pulp', which consists in depositing pulpous materialI on a foraminous member,

ringing the core into contact with the deposited material, removing the core and the material from the foraminous member, applying an agent to the deposited material. and then forming. said deposited -material on the core to 'constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core.

6. A method of coating a core in strand form with pulp, which consists in subjecting aQcore to liquid containing pulp in such manner thatpulp is applied to the core, applying a coloring agent to the deposited material, and forming sairl material on the core to constitute a coating therefor hav- Amg a curved outer surface.

7. A method of coating a core in Vstrand form with pulp, which consists in applying wet pulpous material to a core in such mauner that the material is held on the core by a felting of the pulp fibres, applying a coloring agent to said material, forming the deposited material on the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core, and removing substantially all the `moisture from said coating.

8. A method of coating a corein'f-strand form with pulp, which Yconsists in depositing-pulpous'material on a foraminous member, bringing the core into contact with the deposited material, removing the core and the deposited material from the foraminous member, coloring the deposited material, and

'then forming' vthe colored material'on the member, bringing the'core into contact with the deposited material, removing the core and the deposited material from the foraminous member, removing some of the'moisture from the deposited material, coloring the deposited material, and then forming the said material on the core to constitute a homogeneous coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core.

10. A` method of coating a core in strand form with pulp, which comprises hdepositing pulpous material on, a foraminous' member, bringing the core into contact with the depcsited material, removing the core and the deposited material therefrom, depositing a coloring agent on another member, causing relative movement between the second mentioned member and the Ideposited material t on the core to thereby color the material and to remove moisture from the material, and then forming the colored material to constitute a homogeneous coating for the core conforming with the shapethereof.

11. A method of simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, which comprises depositing pulpous material on a. foraminous member, bringing a plurality of cores into contact therewith, removing the cores and the deposited material therefrom, depositing coloring agents on a plurality of members, causing relative movement between the deposited material on each of the cores and one of the second mentioned members to color the material `on each core and to remove moisture therefrom, and then forming the material associated with each core to constitute a coating for the core conforming with the shape thereof.

12. A method of coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, which consists in depositing wet pulpous material upon the cores, app ying coloring matter to the pulpous material on certain of the cores, and then forming the pulpous material on the cores to constitute coatings thereon having a substantially circular outer surface.

13. In a machine for coating a core in strand form with pulp, a receptacle for containing a supply of fluid containing pulp, a member, means for causing relative movement between said member and said fluid whereby pulp is deposited on said member, means for causing engagement between the core to be coatedand thev member whereby pulpous material is'deposited on said mem.-

ber and said core, means for removing the core and the deposited material from the member and removing some of the moisture lfrom the material, a receptacle for containing a supply of coloring matter, an outlet in the receptacle, means for causing relative movement between the material and the outlet whereby coloring matter is deposited from the receptacle upon the material, and means individual to 'each of the cores for forming the material thereon to form a homogeneous coating therefor.

14. In a machine for simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, a receptacle for containing a supply of fluid containing pulp, a foraminous member, means for causing relative movement be'- tween said member and said fluid wherebypulp is'deposited on said member, means for causing engagement between the cores and the f''nember whereby pulpous material is deposited on said cores, means for removing the cores and all of the deposited material from the member and removing some of the moisture from the material, each of said receptacles containing a plurality of receptacles, a supply of coloring matter, means for causinggrelative movement between the material on the cores and the receptacles, an outlet means for each receptacle for selectively applying coloring matter therefrom to the material associated with one of the cores. means for removing moisture from the portionsof material, and mechanismindividual to each of the cores for forming the pulpons material applied thereto into a coating conforming with the shape ofthe core.

15. A method of coating a core in strand form, which consists in applying unfinished paper tothe core in such manner that it is eld on the core by an intermingling of the libres thereof, applying a coloring agent to the .unfinished paper, and then completing the fabrication o f the paper on the core to constitute'a coating thereon conforming with the shape of the core.

16. .A method of coating a core in strand form, which consists in applying a ribbon of unfinished paper to the core, applying a coloring material to said ribbon, and then' completing, the fabrication of the unfinished paper on the core to form a paper coatin on the core conforming with 4the shape o the core.

17. A method of coating a core in strand form, which consists in applying a ribbon of unnishedppper to the core longitudinally thereof, applying a coloring material to said ribbon, 'and' then wrapplng the said ribbon laterally around the core and completing the fabrication thereof into a paper l coating on the core.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th da of March A. D., 1923.

JOHN HIRLEY LITTLE. 

